Display-rack.



PATENTED JULY 11, 1905.

L. FELDMANN, JR.

DISPLAY RACK.

APPLIOATION FILED SEPT. 29. 1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l L Summ for a PATENTED JULY 11, 1905.

L. FELDMANN, JR. DISPLAY RACK.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 29, 1904 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

lllllllllfm W a 61 Hie-enm STATES Patented July 11, 1905.

PATENT OrFIcE.

DISPLAY-RACK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 794,456, dated July 11, 1905.

v Application filed September 29,1904. Serial No. 226,469.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, LOUIS FELDMANN, J r., a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Louis, State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Display- Racks, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof.

My invention has relation to improvements in display-racks; and it consists in the novel construction of rack more fully set forth in the specification and pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is an elevation of the rack with the burlap removed from the majority of the swinging leaves; Fig. 2, a top plan of the rack with the canopy partly removed. Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the rack. Fig. 4 is an enlarged section and elevation of the terminal of the rack-frame, the section being on the line 4 4 of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a front elevation of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a combined section and elevation of one of the swinging leaves. Fig. 7 is a section on line 7 7 of Fig. 6. Fig. 8 is a top plan of Fig. 7, showing the bracket and terminal roller carried thereby. Fig. 9 is a perspective of the base or casting carrying the lower end of the diagonal brace or pipe-bar at the end of the rack-frame. Fig. 10 is a sectional detail of the hook which serves to secure the wire-netting to the frame of the swinging leaf. Fig.

- 11 is a perspective of the central basal block,

to which the bottoms of the tension-rods of the rack-frame are secured. Fig. 12 is a perspective of the arm and buffer-tip carried by the terminal leaf of the series, and Fig. 13 is a cross-section on line 13 13 of Fig. 4.

The present invention is an improvement on the construction of rack covered by United States Letters Patent No. 728,219, dated May 19, 1903, issued to myself and Cyrus A. I-Iaas, and while possessing the several advantages of the patented rack the present device is materially simplified and improved in particulars which in a general way may be enumerated as follows: The

present rack is provided with a canopy whose frame enters into the construction of the rack-frame proper. It is equipped with a reflector for throwing light upon the articles displayed. It is provided with more effective means for securing the wire-netting to the frames of the leaves. It is provided with a simpler means for adjusting the terminal inclined pipe-bars or braces. The brackets carrying the rollers are independent of the wirenetting. It utilizes all the space between the ends of the rack-frame by the use of a graduated series of swinging leaves, and it possesses further and other advantages which will be better apparent from a detailed description of the invention, which is as follows:

Referring to the drawings, the supporting standard or frame of the display-rack comprises an upper horizontal pipe-bar 1, the terminal verticalpipe-bars 2 2 meeting in the upper corner-pieces 3, the lower ends of the vertical members entering the sockets 4 of the outer castings or shoes 5. Between the castings 5 5 is disposed the basal member or bar 6, Whose medial portion rests on the intermediate block 7, being secured thereto by bolts 8, driven through the holes 9 9 of said block, Fig. 11. The several bars are clamped in their sockets by binding screws or bolts 10.

Formed with the corner-pieces 3 are inclined sockets 3, which receive the upper ends of the inclined braces or pipe-bars 11, whose lower ends are supported by the central screw-threaded stems 12 of the footblocks 13, bolted to the floor by bolts passed through the flanges 13 thereof. The position of the bars 11 is carefully adjusted by means of the nuts 14, to which access may be readily had at any time by simply lifting the loose sleeve 15 along the pipe (see dotted position in Fig. 4) sufficiently to uncover the nut. The sleeve when released drops down and rests upon the annular ledge or shoulder 16, Fig. 9, formed at the edge of the conical base of the screw 12. The block 13 is provided witha basal socket or cavity 17, through which access may be had to the securing-nut 18 at the end of a coupling-bar 19, which connects the block 13 to the block 5. The end of the bar 19 enters the block 13 through a transverse opening 20, which is somewhat enlarged to readily permit of any slight variation in the angular dispositionof the block 13.

Cast with each corner-piece 3, at the apex thereof, is a knob or boss 21, about whose neck is hooked the free end of a tension-rod 22, the free end of the hook passing through an eye of a lateral enlargement or swell 23, Figs. 4, 13, this arrangement preventing the hook from yielding and opening up under excessive tension. The rods pass over a cen tral strut member 24, thus forming an overhanging truss, as in the patented construction above referred to. Formed in the rear of the corner-pieces 3 are similar bosses or knobs 21, about which are hooked the upper ends of the tension-rods 25, disposed in the plane of the rack-frame, the lower ends of said rods being passed over the studs 26 of the block 7, Fig. 11, the lower ends being prevented from slipping off the studs by the plate 27, secured to the studs.

The leaves L in the present improvement are constructed as shown in Fig. 6. The corner-pieces of the frame are provided with angularly-disposed arms 28, over which the outer tubing of the leaf-frame is passed. The wire-netting N in the present instance is secured to the tubing by means of hooks 29 screwed into the tubing, after which the hooked ends are clenched to the netting, as shown by dotted position in Fig. 10. The burlap B is then sewed over the netting. Each leaf is provided with an adjustable bracket 30, having arms or claws 30, which grip the tubing of the leaf-frame, Fig. 7, the free end of the bracket being provided with a roller 31, which plays over the tubing of the adjacent leaf, all as clearly understood and set forth in the prior patent.

An inspection of Fig. 2 discloses a series of leaves L of uniform dimension; but in order to utilize all the available space of the rackframe I dispose at the corners of the frame a series of graduated leaves L, which decrease in dimensions as they approach the terminal inclined brace-bars 11. In this way I utilize space which in the patented construction was wholly wasted. The innermost leaf of the graduated series is provided with an arm 30, which carries a terminal buffer or rubber thimble 32 to cushion the impact of said leaf against the brace 11.

- As stated above, the present frame is provided with a canopy'which partly assists in concentrating the light of the reflector beneath it upon the goods displayed on the leaves. This canopy is preferably built up as follows: Inserted into suitable sockets of the bosses 21 of the corner-pieces 3 are the reduced stems 33 of the posts 34, the latter being provided with wings 35, extending in one plane, and with arms 36, extending in the opposite direction, Fig. 4. Between the wings 35 are secured the boards 37, which form the back of the canopy. To the arms 36 are secured the angle-bars 38, on which rests the cover-board 39, the same angle-bars serving as supports for the side boards 40, between which the front board 41 can be secured. In the front corner of the canopy thus formed is disposed a longitudinal reflector R, along which are distributed incandescent lights I, the surface of the reflector being disposed to direct the rays of light to the best advantage. The canopy is additionally supported by the bracket-arms 42.

To the particulars in which the present device corresponds with the patented construction referred to no special reference is herein made, as they are clearly understood from the prior patent, except it may be stated in passing that whatever functions are subserved by the several parts in the patented construction similar functions are subserved by corre sponding parts in the present device.

I may of course depart from the details here shown without in any wise affecting the nature or spirit of my invention.

Having described my invention, what I claim is 1. In a display-rack, a suitable frame, a series of leaves of substantially uniform dimension disposed along the same, and a second series of leaves of graduated dimensions at either end of the frame, substantially as set forth.

2. In a display-rack, a suitable frame, terminal forwardlyinclined brace members forming a part of the same, a series of leaves hinged to the frame between the brace members, a portion of the series adjacent to the braces being graduated, the smallest leaf being nearest said brace members, substantially as set forth.

3. In a display-rack, a suitable frame, a forwardly-inclined brace member extending in front of the frame, a socket for the reception of the upper end of said member, a block having a screw-threaded stem for the support of the lower end of said member, a nut on the stem for adjusting the position of the member, and a loose sleeve supported by the block and normally inclosing the stem and nut carried thereby, substantially as set forth.

4. In a display-rack, a suitable frame, an overhanging truss therefor comprising a central strut, tension-rods extending therefrom I to the opposite ends of the frame, bosses about which the ends of the rods are bent, and perforated enlargements or swells formed with the bosses for receiving the terminals of the hooked ends of the tension-rods, substanfrom the brace members increase, substantially as set forth. tially as set forth. :0 5. In a display-rack, a suitable frame, in- In testimony whereof I afiix my signature clined brace members extending forwardly in presence of two Witnesses.

therefrom at either end thereof, and a series LOUIS FELDMANN, JR.

of graduated leaves hinged to the frame ad- Witnesses:

jacent to the brace members, progressively EMIL STAREK,

increasing in dimensions as their distances MARY D. WHITOOMB. 

